Author: Shyam Khosla
Publication: Organiser
Date: August 6, 2006
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=142&page=6
The Islamist People's Democratic Party's Supremo-Abdul
Nasser Mahdani-has emerged as the "secularists" icon in Tamil Nadu
and Kerala. And who is Mahdani? He is the notorious terrorist that preached
fanaticism of the worst kind and is charged with masterminding 1998 Coimbatore
serial blasts that targeted Lal Krishan Advani and claimed 58 lives and maimed
around 100 innocent citizens. As of now, he is lodged in the high-security
prison in Coimbatore with 166 co-accused almost of all whom are Jehadis belonging
to Al Umma. Do the Prime Minister who recently assured the nation that he
would do whatever is required to win the "war against terrorism"
and his Home Minister know that the Congress party, its allies like DMK and
the CPM that supports his Government from outside, are vying with each other
to help this fanatic leader escape from the hands of law under the garb of
protecting human rights (only of terrorists)? If he does, they owe it to the
nation to take it into confidence of the measures the Government has taken
to ensure that the mastermind and the perpetrators of the heinous crime are
brought to justice? If not, they have no business to continue to occupy high
offices and make shallow announcement about their so-called determination
to crush terrorism with a heavy hand. As for Sonia Gandhi, she is not accountable
to any one. This Italy-born lady is ruling the roost unmindful of the damage
she is causing to the polity and the security and integrity of the nation
in blind chase for votes.
It is a tragic tale of politicians belonging
to the Congress, the Left and the DMK demolishing the good work painstakingly
done by the law and order agencies to bring the culprits of the serial bomb
blasts to justice. First, all parties represented in the Kerala Assembly-Congress-led
UDF was in power then-adopted a unanimous resolution demanding "release"
of the "leader" who was languishing in jail for eight-long years.
(Incidentally, BJP is and was not represented in the Assembly). It was the
most shameless act of the political class that claims to represent the people
of the "enlightened" state of Kerala. No prizes for guessing why?
All these parties were looking for Muslim votes that Mahdani controls in parts
of Kerala. After voting for the resolution that amounted to undue interference
by the legislature in the judicial domain, the CPM sent one of its members
of Parliament, T K Hamsa, on a mission to win over Mahdani's support for the
Communists. He met the accused in the jail in a clandestine manner. When his
undercover activity came to light the CPM leader said he had gone to meet
the prisoner to convey his sympathy for the "violation of his human rights".
He didn't care to explain how Mahdani's human rights were being violated.
LDF kept on wooing the terror mastermind and sent another emissary who once
belonged to the Muslim League. Ultimately, PDP was won over and LDF won hands
down in several Muslim-dominated constituencies thanks to the influence of
Mahdani and PDP's well-oiled election machine.
Hugely obliged to the Jehadi leader for the
LDF's landslide victory in Kerala, the Stalinist Chief Minister of CPM-led
Government with the active cooperation of M Karunanidhi-who is equally, if
not more, hungry for Muslim vote bank-have managed to set up an Ayurvedic
spa inside the jail for treating Mahdani who is said to have lost weight.
Of course, they are not talking about his political weight for Mahdani continues
to be a heavy weight. What if Rs 50,000 of taxpayer's money is spent on a
team of 10 masseurs to massage the prisoner and four senior Ayurvedic doctors
to look after the health of the VVIP prisoner who is "rotting" in
jail merely because he is suspected of masterminding serial bombing? The "secularists"
are not bothered if it is in total violation of the jail manual that says
prisoner pays for the private medical treatment he avails.
Still worse is the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's
unpardonable order lifting the restrictions on Mahdani's movement within the
prison. The ban was imposed by the previous government under section 268 of
CrPC to prevent him from inter-acting with other accused so that he may not
hatch yet another conspiracy to unleash terror. Yet another illegal favour
shown to the accused is that his wife, Soofia, who was then absconding, was
allowed to remain with the under-trial during his treatment. The question
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister must answer is: Who asked the police not to arrest
her when she went to stay with Mahdani in the prison? After all, she was wanted
in a case registered against her for smuggling in a SIM card for her husband
and a non-bailable warrant against her was pending. A case under Sections
353 and 506 (ii) of IPC for obstructing a public servant from discharging
his duty and criminal intimidation was registered. That she has now surrerendered
and has been bailed out is another story.
Let not the country forget that one of the
first decisions Karunanidhi took after assuming office of the Chief Minister
was to reinstate a suspended IAS officer, Syed Munir Hoda, and appointed him
his secretary. Hoda was suspended by the AIDMK Government for going out of
his way to help Hahandani by removing restrictions on his movement within
the prison without taking the Government into confidence. Public memory is
short. So let it be reminded that when in Opposition, Karunanidhi was suspected
of supporting terrorist outfits. An equally worrisome dimension is the political
move to transfer Mahdani to a prison in Kerala. Security establishment's apprehensions
that it is a part of the conspiracy to enable the Jehadi to escape from jail
with the help of a "friendly and obliged" dispensation in Kerala
are eminently valid. More so, because at one point of time, Antony Government
had written a letter to Tamil Nadu Government against transfer of Mahdani
to Kerala saying it would endanger law and order in Kerala. Are the Prime
Minister and the Union Home Minister listening?
